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(No Model.)

D. A. GREENE.

WOOD SPLITTING MA CHINE.

No. 313,586. Patented Mar. 10, 1885.

4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

be A g (No Model.) 4 sheets sheetfz. D. A. GREENE WOOD SPLITTINGMACHINE.

Patented Mar. 10, "18.85.,

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(No Model.) 4 SheetsSheet 3.

D. A. GREENE. WOOD 'SPLITTING MACHINE.

No. 313,586. Patented Mar. 10, 1885.

Mz'iness e 8 (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4. D. A. GREENE.

WOOD SPLITTING MACHINE. No. 313,586. Patented Mar. 10., 1885.

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DARWIN A. GREENE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

WOOD-SPLITTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 313,586, dated March10, 1885.

Application filed October 29, 1881. (No model.)

T all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DARWIN A. GREENE, of the city, county, and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inWVoodSplitting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The invention is a machine for splitting wood for kindling, the woodhaving previously been sawed into the proper lengths. The equal lengthsof wood stand upright on a chain-carrier, and are moved under avertically-reciprocating knife or splitter, the construction of which ishereinafter described. Such machines have usually been constructed witha longitudinal frame, and with'the main shaft set transversely to thecentral longitudinal line of the chain-carrier. This generalconstruction has the serious fault of limiting the arrangement of themachine to one position with reference to the saw-benches in connectionwith which it is ordinarily desired to use it.

Some of the advantages of the present invention are as follows: Theparts are arranged more compactly, are more durable, and more easilyaccessible. The clearing-plate is so constructed as to be verticallyadjustable above the chain-carrier, so that different lengths of woodcan be accommodated. The mode of formation of the chain-carrier enablesit to perform its function more perfect than in the usual construction.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification,Figure l is a side elevation of the machine. Fig. 2 is an end view ofthe same. Fig. 3 is a plan of the invention. Fig. 4 is a centralvertical longitudinal section of the machine. Fig. 5 is a transversevertical section in the plane of the connecting-rod which operates theknife. Fig. 6 is a plan of the clearing-plate and the endless feed-chainand its connections, a part of the fixed framing being shown in section.Fig. 7 is a plan on a larger scale of some of the parts illustrated inFig. 6. Fig. 8 is a vertical longitudinal section of the partsillustrated in Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is a plan of the support for thefeed-chain and some of its attachments. Fig. lOis a side elevation ofFig. 9. Fig. 11 is a central vertical section of Fig. 9. Fig. 12 is anend view of Fig. 11. Fig. 13 is an end view ofthe retaining-fingersillustrated in Fig.

8. Fig. 14 is a plan of part of the feed-chain, partly in section. Fig.15 is a perspective View of one of the members or links of thefeed-chain. Fig. 16 is a plan of the knives detached. Fig. 17 shows afront and a side view of one of the knives. Fig. 18 is a trans versesection through the feed-chain on center line of the hingebolts. Fig. 19shows a plan and a side View of one of the links of the feedchaindetached. Fig. 20 shows a modification of the links. Fig. 21 is a sideView, partly in section, ofa part of the feed-chain. Fig. 22 shows therelative positions of the edges of the two knives. Fig. 23 is a diagramshowing on which lines the wood is cut or split. Fig. 24 is a reversedplan of the binding-piece which unites the connecting-rod that operatesthe knives. Fig. 25 is a vertical transverse section showing one of thebearings of the main shaft. Fig. 26 is aplan of the cross-head whichcarries the knives.

In the accompanying drawings, A A are standards secured to thehead-block A and the latter secured to the standard B by the stay D, theparts thus combined forming the frame of the machine. The chain supportor bed E between the standards A A is upheld by a screw, 0, the nut ofwhich forms a brace. G, to the standards A A. A handwheel, w, isfastened to the screw c,to turn the latter and raise or lower the wholeof the chain-support E. To the two ends of the chainsupport E bearings eare bolted, in which rotate shafts, each carrying two hexagonal wheels,L, which impart motion to the endless chain. The chain moves upon andover the said wheels, which are actuated by the ratchetwheel WV, fixedon the shaft 70.

I is a segment, the hub of which turns on the shaft 70, and the upperarm of which has the inner ends of the pawls a and a. rigidly secured toa shaft turning in said arm,and provided with the hand-wheel g, by meansof which the pawls can be raised or lowered, so as to release or engagethe ratchet-wheel WV to start orstop the feed. The segment I is moved bya rod, 12, attached by one end to the lower arm of said segment, andhaving its other end connected with and moved by an arm, Q, of abell-crank lever pivoted upon the frame of the machine. The upper arm,m, of said lever is vibrated by the cam T, fixed on the main shaft S.

n is the case-hardened ball on the end of the arm m, which ball fits inand is moved by the groove in the cam.

The endless chain consists of links'Z and wrought-iron plates z. Eachlink is provided with a slot to receive the narrower end of thewrought-iron plate 2, as shown in Figs. 14, 19, and 21. The links areheld by bolts 12, the heads of which are angular, and fit in proper andsimilar sockets in the links Z, so as to turn with one of said links.The links of the chain are thus connected by hinges, as shown in Figs.14, 15, and 18. The meeting end of one link has on each corner a singlehinge-plate, which enters between two hinge-plates on the edge of theadjacent link, and the said hingeplates are pivoted together by thetransverse bolts 12, the angular head of which fits into a similarsocket in the outer plate of the link. Each bolt b is held in place by anut on its end opposite its head, and each bolt turns with the linkprovided with the socket, and is thereby prevented from working loose.The plates 2 work on the hexagonal wheels L, while the links Z have theproper length to lie on the sides of said wheels, which thus carry thechain and keep it in proper position.

Fig. 19 shows a side and top view of one link. Fig. 20 shows similarviews of a modified form of the same. The former is the one 7 shown inthe drawings and preferably used.

Each link has on its edge the flange Z 2 which keeps the wood in properposition on the carrier.

His the clearingplate situated above the carrier, and provided with across-slot to allow the knives 'u c to pass through the plate, as seenin Fig. 7. the wood from being lifted when the knives rise. Theclearing-plate H is formed to fit and slide upon the standards A and A,as shown in Fig. 7. The clearing-plate is adjusted to different heightsby means of the bolt 11, the pivoted lever z, and link h. The pivotedlever z is pivoted in the frame of the machine, and is provided with arecess, 7,111130 which a bar fits to holdup and change the position ofthe clearing-plate when the nuts on the bolt (1 are not tightened. Thechain-support E fits and slides upon the standards A A, so that thechain and its supports can be raised and lowered.

On the clearing-plate H two lugs, t, are cast, in which holes aredrilled to receive a shaft, B, Fig. 7, on which a number of fingers, RR, with chisel-edges and of unequal lengths, are loosely hung orpivoted, and lie at various inclinations, meeting the surface of thewood at different points and affording sufficient resistance to preventthe wood from being forced backward by each blow of the knife. Thechain-plates 2 rest on the horizontal bed-plate E, which consequentlysupports the wood when the blow is struck.

To hold the wood in proper upright posi- The said plate prevents.

slightly smaller in diameter than the openings. The pins carry thesprings ss, and are screwed or otherwise secured to the arms r. Thesprings s exert a pushing force between the lugst and the heads of thepins, thus forcing the arms r and bars N inward to keep the Wood closetogether while being split. This binding of the wood makes the same feedevenly, and saves unnecessary splitting and waste. The bars N are longerthan the clearing-plates, as shown in Fig. 4. They hold the wood inposition while it is coming under the knivesv o. The bolt 1) holds thetwo knives o 12 close together, and other proper bolts secure them tothe cast-iron knife head-block K.

The said block is provided with grooves f f, fitting over and slidingupon corresponding bars which form parts of the standards A A. Thehead-block A forms the main bearing for the crank-shaft S, which is heldin position by the adjustable box a, resting on the point of theadjusting-screw q, as seen in Fig. 25. The shaft S has asimilar bearingin the stand ard B, as shown in Fig. 4.

Every part of the machine is within sight and reach of the operator, andcan be easily adjusted to different lengths of wood or to cut coarse orfine, as desired.

The set-screws J0 x, Figs. 5 and 24, prevent the crank from jarring onthe main shaft.

I attach much importance to the fact that the adjustable bed E,whichsupports the feedchain, is mounted on a cross-girder or bridge, G,extending across the framing within the endless feed-chain. The adjustment is effected by turning a single stout screw.

The employment of two obtuse-angled knives having but one joint at theirintersection forms avery strong splitter. This construction permits alsolonger knives to be easily substituted when desired.

The use of the chisel-edged fingers R in connection with the yieldingguides on the clearing-plate, and adjustable with the latter,

makes a very strong hold and guide for the wood as it passes under theknives. The described construction of the feed-chain gives the lattervery close joints, and also gives an even upper surface to receive andsus tain the wood. The wood is held laterally by the flanges on thelinks.

The brace G, while acting as a nut to the screw, by whichv the bed-plateE and carrier. I

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, with the main shaft S,having cam T, the bell-crank lever, and the segment I, connected to saidlever by the rod p and to the cam by said rod and lever, of

the ratchet WV, operated by pawls carried on the segment, thechain-carrier, and the verti cally-adjustable bed-plate E, as set forth.

2. The adjustable clearing-plate with its chisel-pointed pawls, and theyielding side guides carried thereon, in combination with each other andwith the knives and feed-chain, as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a machine for splitting wood, the combination, with the bed-plateE, of theendless lar-headed bolts 6, substantially as specified.

4. The combination of the carrier, as described, and thevertically-adjustable bedplate E, with the main shaft S, having cam T,the bell-crank lever m Q, and rod 1), connecting said cam with thesegment I, the said segm ent carrying pawls which engage the ratchet V,to impart intermittent motion to the carrier, and the clearing-plate H,as set forth.

5. In a machine to split wood, the combination of the knives o o,actuated by proper mechanism from the main shaft, the clearingtable H,the adjustable bed-plate E, the chaincarrier Z2, and the bearing-block Aprovided with the journatboxes 0 0 controlled by the set-screws q q,substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, at New York city, NewYork, this 20th day of June, 1883, in the presence of two subscribingwitnesses.

DAIHVIN A. GREENE.

Witnesses:

VVM. C. DEY, M. F. BOYLE.

